Cooperation Secy asks agitating LAMPS staff to join duty immediately

Bhubaneswar: The State Cooperation Secretary on Monday directed the Registrar to take action against the agitating staff of large area multi-purpose cooperative societies (LAMPS) and Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) if they do not join work immediately.

As the Rabi crop loans distribution process has begun, the Secretary asked the LAMPS and PACS’ staff to call off the strike, sources said.

Meanwhile, the staff of LAMPS and PACS said the agitation will continue until their demands are not met.

“The government is trying to threaten us issuing such orders but we will not withdraw our protest and continue until all our demands are fulfilled,” said secretary of Odisha State Cooperative Employees’ Coordination Committee, Digambar Nayak.

The LAMPS and PACS’ staff are on dharna in front of the State Assembly over five point charter of demands which include pension scheme for elected representatives of LAMPS, medical insurance, government employees’ status and implementation of 7th Pay Commission recommendations in cooperative societies.

Earlier in September, the staff of LAMPS had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Agriculture and Finance Ministers over their demands.